Card shuffling device



Sept. 7, 11954 F, H OGDEN 2,688,489

' CARD SHUFFLING DEVICE- Filed June 3, 1952 Patented Sept. 7, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE CARD 'S-HUFFLING DEVICE Floyd H. Ogden, Arlington, Mass. Application June 3, 1952, Serial'No. 291,543

3 Claims. (Cl. 273 149) This invention relates to card shufiling devices of the type wherein the cards to be shuffled are dividedinto two groups or packs, the cards of the two groups being supported initially in inclined relation with their adjacent ends resting against an intermediate rifiling device from which they are progressively freed in overlapping relation. Such a device is shown, for example, in my applications for-United States Letters Patent Serial No, 138,760 filed January 16, 1950, now Patent No. 2,676,020, Serial No. 158,732 filed April 28, 1950, and now abandoned, and Serial No. 188,805, filed October 6, 1950.

Experience with this type of shuffling device has shown that for entirely satisfactoryoperation the cards should be freed from the rifiling device rather slowly so that the cards of the two groups may have time to properly interleave-as otherwise jamming of the cards is likely to occur.

One object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide actuating means which will produce the desired relatively slow rifiling action.

A further object is to provide an actuating mechanism which will automatically return to starting position when released.

Still another object is to provide such a mechanism which can be set rapidly to any desired position from whichthe slow rifiiing motion may be started.

For a complete understanding of this invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 are front elevational and top plan views, respectively, of a shuflling device embodying the invention.

Figure Sisa detail sectional View on line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, the shufiler comprises a tray 1 formed in two parts having overlapping bases 2 and 3 mounted for motion to bring end portions 4 and 5 toward each other when it is desired to press the two sets of cards which have been shuffled and with their edges in overlapping relation into a single pack.

One of these bases, such as I, has an upstanding back wall portion upon which is mounted or is formed integral therewith, a U-shaped frame II which extends rearwardly. This provides room for the pivotal mounting of a U-shaped element I2, the forward ends of which have pivotally mounted thereon a pair of shoes l5. These shoes I have lower widened feet portions l6 which are adapted to rest upon the upper faces of two groups of cards, the inner ends of which are supported on opposite faces of a rifliing device I! which projects forwardly from the wall I 0 and; over the bases 2 and 3.- The outerends of the two sets or groups of cards are initially supported on ledges 20 which as are shown inthe left hand portion of Figure 1 are pivoted within enclosures Zl projecting outwardly from the end Walls 4 and 5 and normally held with their inner ends projecting inwardly from the end walls asby aleaf spring such as 22.

The shoes [5 are intended to be pressed against the top faces of the cards in the two groups supported between the rifliing device [1 and the sup-- ports or shoulders 20 and to be pressed downeffected, it is important that the cards be moved away from the riffling device evenly and rather slowly, as otherwise the cards of the two packs may jam, which prevents proper interleaving.

In the drawing the mechanism for accomplishing this slow pressure comprises a gear segment 25 secured to the presser frame l2, the pivot 26 for the frame l2 also passing through this segment 25 and providing a bearing withinthe U- shaped-member ll.

Normally meshing with the gear segment 25 is a pinion portion 30 of a shaft 3| which is suitably journaled in bearings 32 and 33. This pinion portion 30, as shown, has three teeth so that turning of the shaft 3| will rock the segment 25 at a relatively slow rate. shaft 3| is formed as an actuating crank 35. It is desirable that the pressure device may be pushed down against the cards to start the shuffling action without delay, and for this purpose provision is made for withdrawing the pinion 30 from engagement with the segment. The shaft 3! is therefore mounted for axial as well as turning motion, and a coil spring 36 surrounding the shaft 3! and bearing between a collar 3'! fixed thereto and the bearing 33 acts to normally hold the shaft 3| in the axial position where it is in mesh with the teeth of the segment 25. However, it can be withdrawn by the operator against the pressure of the spring 36, whereupon the presser frame l2 may be swung downwardly into engagement with the cards in shuffling position.

It is also desirable that prior to shuflling the presser frame be withdrawn to facilitate the positioning of the cards to be shuflied and for this purpose a coil spring 40 is shown as coiled about the pivot shaft 26, one end of the coil spring 40,

The outer end of the he sprin fi r tu 'nzth is 3 int i-op rat wo relation to--the segment -so that-by turning the crank handle 35 the presser frame may be swung downwardly to perform the desired shufliing action. When this has been completed, the op -m erator may withdraw the shaft 3| out of engagement with the segment, whereupon the-,springrrwr will lift the presser frame out of-,the; wayrso; that; by moving the end walls 4 and 5 toward each other, the shuffled cards may be pushed endwiseinto a single pack, the presser frame being then utlofipos i n. .i ho1 ot .s. .1 l ne pos tion of Fi ure-: eadx n ol m os ertion f; vtwo t.. er- TQHps-Qf-C HdS or sh fifi ne- 1.

rom the o eoin de cr p on itw l be seek:

that; slowi--voperativeconnections -are interposed etwesnv ltho tuat n and. t ep sse me h r a nsid ra umlosrsomomp ots t ns of thoqshait ne essary to :pro-i duce the desired shufiling action so thattoo rapid otion :o thess r, ramocann t be (produced.

rom-the e ing d scr pt on f n; mbodie. m of.)- t is-li nt n it illube evi ent to. those; llodi ho-a th t: v ious han s-and m dii fioations;may; be =made without departingfrom in t or 259.0139 vr rfiv citi the ppen ed.

claim I claim;- 1. A card; shuffier c mp i in attr yv n t se nd-; an ne ends ndamack, memb r.

iflime elem nt pr jectin f wa dly. r ,m; aida ook im mb l: me ns a r e by id ds i n upport n theo e nd tw eroupsof cards: o, n. o nds r-wh oh y enga e oppos e sides orsa d g em nt w-ith rsaid cards-ly n [inw rd y nd u ward y; i lined l s tion; 11

io rnahd in ,s i ay; and hav amend po t on :7

posit on d :t ev a pe nd-;t rne nd. s w

pera ve onne t on i ot o zsaid hafta ds id; e in e ment, said o ve n.oct ons.- i .1 di a n,ion;-p rt o d. ha t. :and;. a.l

ot ed; osme tz perat o y lnnootodgt a du p os n m ai h t-b n ,:m iintedif i otio t :b ins d.- pin n;-por o ;int or 2011M. of en em n t said s m nt.

2. A card shufiler comprising a tray having a base and upstanding ends and a back member, a rifiling element projecting forwardly from said back member, means carried by said ends for supporting the outer ends of two groups of cards, the inner ends of which may engage opposite sides of said rilfiing element with said cards lying in an inwardly and upwardly inclined position thereagainst, a downwardly movable pressing element engageable with the. .;top cards; of each group and actuable to press the inner ends'of said cards past said rifiling element, a rotary shaft journaled in said tray and having an end portion positioned to be grasped and turned, and slow operative connections between said shaft and said pressinghelement, said operative connections includingmpinion portion of said shaft and a toothed segment operatively connected to said pressing-element, said shaft being mounted for axial motion to bring said pinion portion into or outof a emsn with sa d egm nt-,-

3.;= Av-i ardrshufi sr z ompr si gia ay having a base andiupstanding ends and a back member, a rifilin lel montpro ectin forwardly fr mvsaidr. backamemberwmoans ri v y said ends for:

supporting the outer-ends; of two groups of cards the 1 inner end-51 0f which may engage opposite sides of said rifiling ,element with said cards lying invann wardly nd'r w rd o ed p it n;- therea ain tn wnwa d y a e ess element engageable with the top cards of ;eac l 1 roup andaotua l o 76 31 9 inner d o s d;

cards past said rifliing element, a rotary shaft iour-nal din' said tray d av a d po t on positioned' to be grasp ed and turned, slow operative o.r111,eoti etween a shaft d. 1 sa d p ssin ontssai loperative con i nscludin rpinionz; o t Qmo aid shaftand a; toothed segment operatively connected to; said p ss n r lomenti aid sha e n m u e fo axialpmotign to bring I said pinion portion-into or;

out of engagement with said segment; and yield-,- ing means;operatively connected thereto tending tovholdrsaid pi ion-po t n i engagement w h said segment.

References Cited inthe file of'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date l,8f16-,063 Matthaey Feb. 23,1932.

FOREIGN PATENTS Number; Country Date.

29,288 Great Britain 1913 239,552,; Great Britain Apr. 30., ,1928 

